Thursday, August 11, 2011

Is That a Lobster in Our Crab Trap!?

I began this morning at the Boston's Childrens Museum and I was very hopeful that we would catch a lot of stuff. We prepare the touch tank, cast out the lines, and put in the crab traps as usual. For bait today, along with our usual haddock, we prepared something special to use. Using just flour, sugar, and a bit of water, we made the carp bait everyone has been raving about at Community Boating. Although we did not have as much success with the fishing aspect, we were able to catch a bunch of cool marine creatures. The surprise catch of the day was caught in a crab trap about mid-morning. As we pull up the trap, we notice something red and large inside. It is not a crab, but an actual lobster! It was a baby and too small to keep but still very exciting for the kids! Everyone loved being able to pick up and touch a real live lobster! The best part about its small size was the fact that many of the younger children were able to hold it without being as scared. It was definitely a successful day.

My week at the Children's Museum has been a lot of fun. We have had a ton of success crabbing! We have been catching a bunch of spider crabs each day, which after all these years at Save the Harbor still creep me out. The kids we teach always have so much fun and our so enthusiastic, it makes the job so much more rewarding. My only regret is that I do not get to stay with the kids for longer, like most of our other sites. Yet it provides a new challenge, how to make an impression on these kids that will last. Our goal is to reach this kids even in just a small way, so that maybe later in life they will learn to love our great harbor. We show them how much fun it can be! Catching a lobster surprised a lot of people today. It is something I'm sure will stick with at least a few of our children and their families.

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Welcome!

Save the Harbor/Save the Bayis a non-profit public-interest Boston Harbor environmental advocacy organization whose mission is to restore and protect Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, the Boston Harbor Islands, the Boston Harbor region's public beaches, Boston's waterfront and the marine environment and share them with the public, for everyone to enjoy.

Since 1986, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay has been the driving force behind the transformation of Boston Harbor from one of the dirtiest urban harbors in America to one of the cleanest in the world.

As a result of our advocacy, Boston Harbor has been transformed from a "Harbor of Shame" into a source of recreational, educational and economic opportunity and civic pride. Today the beaches of South Boston are among the cleanest urban beaches in the nation, the Boston Harbor Islands are a National Park, and Boston's waterfront has become a compelling destination for residents and visitors alike.

Working with a broad base of civic, corporate, government, scientific, philanthropic and community partners, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay continues to strengthen the connections between communities and the harbor, and promote the increasingly important impact Boston Harbor has on the region’s economy.

Each year Save the Harbor / Save the Bay runs 2 freeYouth Environmental Education Programs that combine recreation and hands-on education to bring Boston Harbor alive for thousands of Boston area young people. Since 2003, we have connected nearly 250,000 youth and teens to Boston Harbor, the Boston Harbor Islands, our region's public beaches and Boston's waterfront.

Our "Boston Harbor Explorers" program serves thousands of young people at the Courageous Sailing Center in Charlestown, the Piers Park Sailing Center and Constitution Beach in East Boston, DCR's Carson Beach in South Boston, at Community Boating on the Charles River, on Black's Creek in Quincy, and at Camp Harbor View on Long Island and at The Boston Children's Museum.Our"All Access Boston Harbor"program departs weekdays from the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in South Boston, and brings thousands of youth and teens from more than 100 community groups to Georges or Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park on the Provincetown II.

OurBetter Beaches Program supports dozens of free events and activities on the region's public beaches each year in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.

We hope we can count on you as we share Boston Harbor with 30,000 young people on 28 free island excursions and at 40 free events and programs on the region's public beaches in 2018.For more information about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay please visit our website at www.savetheharbor.org